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Dozens of Taliban killed in battle

The battle was said to have lasted for seven hours.

19 Apr 2007 11:55 GMT

The fighting took place in Sangin district which the US-led forces said they seized two weeks ago [AFP]

The statement said that US and Afghan forces received intelligence about "enemy activity" involving an estimated 40 Taliban fighters following a brief earlier engagement in which three men were arrested.

"After manoeuvring to gain contact with the enemy force, US special forces requested coalition air support to engage the Taliban fighters as they were attempting to establish ambush positions," the statement said.

"Approximately 24 Taliban fighters were killed and four vehicles destroyed during the prolonged seven-hour battle."

The two soldiers whose names and nationalities werenot revealed were treated in a nearby medical facilitywhere they were in a stable condition, the statement said